Method for the production of a gallate solution

Abstract

The gallate solution is obtained from an alkaline gallium-containing solution. Gallium is sorbed from a recycled solution on a divinylbenzene polymer-based ionite, gallium is desorbed with a solution of sulfuric acid to obtain a gallium-containing eluate, followed by concentration of gallium by converting it to a solid phase by neutralisation of the eluate with a caustic solution with precipitation of a gallium hydroxide precipitate at a given temperature. Thickening and filtration of the precipitate are carried out with its further dissolution in a caustic solution until a given concentration of gallium in the solution is obtained. The method allows to increase the concentration of gallium by converting it to the solid phase when neutralising acidic eluates with an alkaline solution, which simplifies the concentration process and reduces the number of technological operations and, as a result, reduces the cost of gallium production.

1 . A method for obtaining a gallate solution from an alkaline gallium-containing solution, which differs from a prototype, the method comprising:
 sorption of gallium from a recycled solution on a divinylbenzene polymer-based ionite,   desorption of gallium with a solution of sulfuric acid to obtain a gallium-containing eluate,   concentrating gallium by converting said gallium to a solid phase based on neutralising the gallium-containing eluate with a caustic solution with precipitation of a precipitate of gallium hydroxide at a given temperature,   thickening and filtering the precipitate of gallium hydroxide; and   dissolving the filtered precipitate of gallium hydroxide in a caustic solution until a given concentration of gallium in the caustic solution is obtained.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the solution of sulfuric acid is 1-10 wt. %. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the caustic solution is 50-500 g/dm 3  of Na 2 O. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gallate solution is generated at a temperature of 60-80° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprises at least:
 a cooling stage before sorption of a previously generated spent liquor, or   a cooling stage after preparation of the gallate solution.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the cooling stage is carried out to a temperature below 20° C. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein impurity components are filtered out during the cooling stage. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein after the thickening and filtering, a resulting neutral solution is further processed to generate alumina. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein after the thickening and filtering:
 combining a resulting neutral solution with neutralised effluents from a mud disposal area in an open water circulation system, and   sending the combined neutral solution and the neutralised effluents to an alumina production stage.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the precipitation of the gallium hydroxide precipitate is carried out at a temperature of 40-95° C. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the minimum concentration of gallium obtained in the gallate solution is 20 g/dm 3 . 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein converting said gallium to the solid phase by neutralising the gallium-containing eluate with the caustic solution is carried out to a pH of 6.8-7.2. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a solution of alumina is used as the alkaline gallium-containing solution. 
     
     
         14 . A gallate solution generated by processing an alkaline gallium-containing solution, the processing comprising:
 sorption of gallium from a recycled solution on a divinylbenzene polymer-based ionite,   desorption of gallium with a solution of sulfuric acid to obtain a gallium-containing eluate,   concentrating gallium by converting said gallium to a solid phase based on neutralising the gallium-containing eluate with a caustic solution with precipitation of a precipitate of gallium hydroxide at a given temperature,   thickening and filtering the precipitate of gallium hydroxide; and   dissolving the filtered precipitate of gallium hydroxide in a caustic solution until a given concentration of gallium in the caustic solution is obtained.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the concentration of the solution of sulfuric acid is 1-10 wt. %;   the concentration of the caustic solution is 50-500 g/dm 3  of Na 2 O; and   the minimum concentration of gallium obtained in the gallate solution is 20 g/dm 3 .   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprises at least one of:
 a first cooling stage before sorption of a previously generated spent liquor, and   a second cooling stage after preparation of the gallate solution.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 one or more of the first cooling stage and the cooling stage is carried out to a temperature below 20° C.,   the preparation of a gallate solution is carried out at a temperature of 60-80° C., and   the precipitation of the gallium hydroxide precipitate is carried out at a temperature of 40-95° C.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein impurity components are filtered out during one or more of the first cooling stage or the second cooling stage. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein after the thickening and filtering, a resulting neutral solution is further processed to generate alumina. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein after the thickening and filtering:
 combining a resulting neutral solution with neutralised effluents from a mud disposal area in an open water circulation system, and   sending the combined neutral solution and the neutralised effluents to an alumina production stage.